In the Workshop

Vintagecars.com

WHAT’S YOUR HISTORY?

We were four experienced coachbuilders and panelbeaters who had worked in the trade on some of the world’s most important vehicles. In 2004 we decided to go out on our own. At our first show we had no customers and no workshop, but now we have many fantastic customers who return time and again with new projects.

IS IT HARD TO FIND SKILLED STAFF?

Our company has expanded to meet demand but we always have room for a panelbeater with the right skills. We are actually training apprentices, and we already see rewarding results. We presently have 12 full-time employees.

WHAT’S YOUR RANGE OF SKILLS?

We specialise in historic bodywork, from taking a dent out of a wing through crafting a new ash frame to building a complete new body to the owner’s design. We can draft up full-size drawings and go through the whole process of making someone’s dream a reality.

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIALISATION?

Historic bodywork restoration and re-creation is our core business. We are fortunate enough also to have clients waiting to buy interesting projects, and people offer projects to us, so we have been able to act as a broker to clients too.

WHAT’S IN THE SHOP RIGHT NOW?

A fleet of Derby Bentleys including a VanVooren convertible and a Thrupp & Moberly Airflow saloon. We’re constructing a complete new Aravis-style body on a Bugatti T57C, and new VanVooren saloon bodywork on a Bentley MkV to reproduce the one-off Corniche destroyed during WWII. We’re building a new Playboy Roadster body on a Rolls-Royce Phantom 1, and there are two Aston Martins, a DB4 and special-bodied DB2, here for complete restoration

WHICH PROJECTS ARE YOU ESPECIALLY PROUD OF?

Building a complete new body for the Ferrari Sharknose replica (above), including tanks. Reproducing bodywork for an Alfa Romeo 2900 MM replica. Restoring Simon Taylor’s Gurney Nutting Derby Bentley. Making the body for the new steam LSR car. And being chosen by Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust to re-create the Paulin body for the Bentley MkV Corniche.

GC was talking to Dugal Revie